...and it isnt Davids.

 Its his daughters film, "Boxing Helena".

Ive always wanted to see it but never made it around to doing so.  So I finally rented it this weekend and WOW!!!

...just WOW!

I loved her work in the Secret Diary but this movie was atrocious!  It was like a bad version of a Red Shoe Diaries episode!  I know some folks have met her at the festival so I almost feel bad saying this, but Im probably not saying anything people dont already know.

Skip the movie, unless you are seeing it just to check how bad it is...then go right ahead.

~ Amanda

"Just fear me, love me, do as I say and I will be your slave..."

Hey I dont mean to offend her...I loved her Twin Peaks book.

Its just that movie was a special kind of terrible.  I would love to see Davids face after he saw it!

Really? I really like Boxing Helena! The ending throws me, but I thought it was really well done and I love the story. I've owned it since it came out on vhs.

I dunno, guess I had to stick up for it.  

Jordan .

One thing to keep in mind about Boxing Helena is the troubled pre-production process.  Since making a successful film is such a crap shoot, being the collaborative effort that it is, when something goes as wrong as having your lead committed actress (Kim Basinger) pull out at the last moment, then to have to hire lawyers (always a lose-lose proposition even if you win, as I recall Jennifer's team did do) it puts a strain on creativity and makes for a major pain in the a**.  

I saw the film years ago, and although it wasn't quite my cup of  tea, I do love Julian Sands and it was far from the worst film I've seen.  I'd watch "Boxing Helena" ten times in a row if given a choice between that or watching "Losing Las Vegas" one more excruciating time.  Speaking of worst films ever...

Susan 

     
“Half a truth is often a great lie.”

Ben Franklin

Right you are -- LEAVING Las Vegas.  Must have been a Freudian slip.

Susan 

     
“Half a truth is often a great lie.”

Ben Franklin

Thats it...well...Bill Paxtons character was effin hilarious, but I dont think that was on purpose.

At least Art Garfunkel wasnt in it.

Oh, wait...nevermind.

I have to disagree, Zodas , but of course this is a matter of taste. You can't win 'em all, and for god's sake why would you want to?

I think it was a beautifully shot, well scored, fascinating love story. Ok, I don't just disagree. I think you and the many other who share your opinion are INSANE. I've been fixated on this film since it came to video. I'm an avid collector of BH memorabilia.

As far as erotic thrillers go, it's a neat, unusual piece of cinema. I think BH has a dark, dreamy and feminine quality similar to Zalman King's movies (also not for everyone) but with more of a 'psychological thriller' quality. What makes it better than most psychological thrillers, though, is that it doesn't rely on formula suspense tactics in the script. It uses poetic metaphors, with a little bit of disregard to the rules of hollywood storytelling.

Would people like it better if she weren't a Lynch? Who knows. I don't believe she was trying to fill David's shoes or imitate him with this one (a common but narrow minded expectation,) so it's unfair to critique it from that point of view.

I thought it was a good film. I even bought the limited edition signed Laserdisc box set. Growing up, my friends and I used to enjoy making fun of Julian Sands character.

"Helenaaaaaaaaaaaaaa"

-B

You are such a romantic, Angel!

Susan 

     
“Half a truth is often a great lie.”

Ben Franklin

Ok, I have to take sides on this one.  I love it, too, except that I thought the ending was a cop-out.  It shouldn't have been a dream.  And everybody loves to make fun of Julian Sands in that movie, but what about Art Garfunkel?

Well, it didn't exactly help Sherilyn Fenn's career; did she really have one outside of TP? 

Anybody ever see "Kiss of the Beast?"  Now that's a BAD movie.

Keep your eye on the doughnut, not on the hole -- DL

http://www.jabootu.com/boxinghelena.htm

This review is hilarious, if you haven't read it.   

I haven't seen it in years and years, but I remember thinking that it wasn't nearly as bad as the critics said it was.

 I saw Dune a couple of nights ago (hadn't seen it for about 7 years), and I have to say that for me, that is by far the worst Lynch film out there. Although nuart's points about filming difficulites could be applied to Dune also, I suppose

That pretty much sums up my opinion.

Boxing Helena was actually a great film, with moments of genius.

First of all Jennifer was like 19 years old when she made this film.  How many 19 year old girls could pull something like this off?  Very few. 

 Its greatness was muffeled by the bad sex scene between the doctor and some nurse, while Helena just watched.  That scene was bad...but the rest of the film was quite brilliant.

 Look at the beginning, the child looking at a drunken old mans face who tells him, "HARD WORK CAN GET YOU ANYTHING"...then a flash forward when he is older, unable to get what he wants....he must work hard to get it, even if it means cutting the girls limbs off. Bill Paxton was supposed to be funny, and he was. 

The scene where Sandz and Fenn are standing in the rain, and she soothes him and THEN slaps him...it made it such an impact! 

Sorry, but I think this movie is magnificant.  Jennifer is such a talent, and I Think this film proves it.  Art Garfunkle was also good in this film, as well as all the other supporting actors.

That review had me in stitches. :) I personally enjoy the film, but I still laugh at some of the bits and pieces that strike me as silly. And as far as that sex scene, Hyde, the only thing that actually made it bad for me was the stereotypical Enigma tune playing in the background. That made the whole scene feel goofy. With slightly different music, I think it would have come off real well.

I can easily accept, though, that someone could dislike this movie. A good number of my friends think it's just absolute tripe. But they all have otherwise good taste in films. So it's just a matter of perspective and expectations, I suppose.
 

~ Amanda

"Just fear me, love me, do as I say and I will be your slave..."

I couldn't say if Boxing Helena is the 'worst Lynch film ever', as I have not seen Dune, nor do I have any inclination to.  I haven't seen Eraserhead yet either.  However, I did enjoy BH.  I saw it at the cinema when it was released and I was the only person in the theatre   I haven't seen it since I was 17 and the only thing I remember of it now is the scene where they use 'Woman in Chains' by Tears for Fears.  Oh yeah, and the ubiquitous Enigma track which was synonymous with sex scenes in the 90s.  (Sliver, anyone...?  Hard to believe that came from the same man who wrote Rosemary's Baby.) 

But yes.  I enjoyed it enough to see it twice at the flicks.  And I had the theatre to myself again the second time. 

~ 'I will give you my finest hour, the one I spent watching you shower' ~